Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling gets honorary degree
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-07-09 13:40

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was praised for making reading "cool" as she received an honorary degree from Edinburgh University Thursday.

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, holds her honorary degree after receiving it from Edinburgh University in Edinburgh,Scotland, Thursday July 8, 2004. The author wrote much of her series about the world famous boy wizard while living in the Scottish capital as a single mother. [AP]

The university's graduating students gave Rowling a hearty round of applause as she was handed the degree of doctor honoris causa, one of the university's highest accolades, in recognition of her contribution to children's literature.

Professor Pamela Munn said the impact of the Harry Potter series of books on children around the world has been phenomenal.

"Reading has become cool with even the most reluctant readers, in the shape of teenage boys, being caught up in the world inhabited by Harry Potter," Munn said at the ceremony.

Afterward, Rowling said she was honored to receive the diploma.

However, she remained tightlipped on her progress on the sixth book and whether Harry Potter would himself eventually graduate from the fictional Hogwarts wizardry school he attends.

"The book is going really well. And if I answer that it would give quite a lot away, so I'm not going to, sorry," she said.

Rowling completed a teacher training course at Edinburgh University's Moray House in 1996 — the same year that she received an offer of publication for "Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone," the first in the series.

The author wrote much of her series about thefa world mous boy wizard while living in Edinburgh as a single mother.